Van Persie left to join Arsenal in 2004, going on to score 132 goals for the Gunners, winning the FA Cup in 2005.

He left to join Manchester United in the summer of 2012 – in a situation reminiscent of the current one with Alexis Sanchez – and was the crucial factor as United snatched the Premier League title back from Manchester City.

Van Persie, who won 102 caps for Holland and scored 22 times for Feyenoord in his first spell, has been in Turkey since leaving Old Trafford in 2015.